When my eyes opened, I found myself in my brother's office, two arms wrapped around me securely and a blanket draped over my body.
I noticed I was still in Roman's lap and saw my brothers talking with Ivan and Nik worriedly.
I shifted in his lap a bit, snuggling closer to him when his hands ran through my hair and he kissed my the top of my head softly.
"Heather?" I heard Anton's voice call out to me and my glossy eyes snapped to his worried ones as he crouched down in front of me on his haunches and wiped the tears that left my eyes.
"My darling, are you hurt anywhere?" He asked but I shook my head in negative, scooting closer to Roman whose arms tightened around me and Anton noticed this, glancing at Roman and me meaningfully before sighing.
"Thank god you're okay." He whispered, kissing my forehead when my eyes met Ivan's guilt filled ones as he came to sit next to Roman on the couch.
"Kotenok?" He asked when I looked at him and watched his small smile.
"How are you feeling? Better?" He asked and I nodded briefly when he sighed, but didn't dare touch me.
"I'm so sorry." He whispered when the door to the office was thrown open suddenly and a voice boomed in the office, making us all flinch, except Roman and Anton.
"Where the fuck is she?" I heard my dad's voice.
"Who the fuck hurt her?" My uncle Mikhail said furiously as my dad came to sit in Ivan's place and looked at me worried.
"My sweet daughter." My father cooed, trying to touch me but I flinched suddenly, and pulled Roman closer to me with a whimper. My father sighed heavily, glancing at Roman warily before shaking his head.
"I'm glad you were there with her." Dad said to Roman who hummed in response, running his hands through my hair.
I sighed in contentment, closing my eyes and melting into him as the men talked in hushed tones.
"Baby?" I heard Roman's whisper and turned my face to watch his concern filled eyes for me.
"How are feeling now? Good?" He asked and I nodded once before nuzzling my face in his neck, I felt him kiss my forehead and saw my father looking at us along with Anton and Alex in shock.
Roman just ignored everyone's burning stares on him and instead kept on drawing patterns on my waist to calm me when my father spoke.
"She should go to her room. Give her the meds she needs and make her sleep." He said and Anton nodded, walking over to me when Roman's hand tightened around me as Anton reached for me.
"Darling, come on." He said softly but I turned my face away from his, snuggling into Roman's chest when I heard him sigh.
"Roman." He said and a few moments later I felt Roman stand up with me in his arms. I immediately whimpered, afraid he was going to let me go when he hushed me.
"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere baby." He whispered, holding me tight and carried me out of the office, following Anton who led us to my room.
Roman carefully set me on the bed and held my hand because I refused to let go of him. Anton saw this and sighed heavily, shaking his head and muttering something before looking at Roman.
"Stay with her since she's only allowing you to touch her, so I don't really have any other choice as of now." He said when Roman nodded emotionlessly before Anton left the room, closing the door behind him softly.
"Roman?" I called out softly after a while, looking at the man who held my hand tightly and sat in front of me on the bed. He hummed in response, watching me carefully.
"You won't go anywhere right? You won't leave me?" I asked worried and saw his eyes soften when he kissed my hand.
"I won't baby. Never." He whispered looking deep into my eyes before his eyes scanned my body and his lip twitched upwards in the slightest.
"You look beautiful." He commented and a shy smile appeared on my face.
"Thank you." I said with a smile.
"Do you want to change?" He asked and I nodded. He got up and swiftly picked me in his arms, my legs wrapped around his waist as he carried me to the bathroom and set me on the vanity.
"Clothes?" He asked when I pointed to the closet. He nodded and went there, coming out a few minutes later with a large black t-shirt I noticed was his. He held it up for me with a smirk when my face turned red.
"I-I meant to return it." I stuttered and saw him shake his head before he came to stand between my legs.
"It's alright angel. Keep it." He said with a small smile playing on his lips as his hands went back towards the zipper of my dress. He fiddled a bit with the zip before looking at me for confirmation.
I nodded and he pulled the zipper down slowly, helping me out of my dress until I was only in my undergarments before him.
But he didn't look anywhere but my face, kissing my forehead briefly before helping me put on the t-shirt, he patted my cheek.
"You want to take this off?" He said stroking my cheek and I nodded, pointing to a drawer.
He opened it and took out my make up wipes from it, carefully wiping my face with it with such gentleness it was hard to believe he could be so soft if you looked at him.
I brushed my teeth next and then he carried me back to bed, pulling the comforter over me and as he was about to head to the couch, I caught his hand and he looked back at me in question.
"Can you lay here with me? Please?" I asked softly, biting my lip in nervousness and saw him nod.
He took off his shoes and loosened his dress shirt, getting in next to me in bed, his arms wrapped firmly around my frame as he buried his face in my hair, breathing deeply before sighing.
"This okay?" He asked and I nodded, kissing his cheek before nuzzling my face in the crook of his neck and sighed.
"Thank you." I whispered while his fingers played with my hair, his other hand dangerously close to my bottom.
"For?" He asked when I sighed.
"Everything." I said and drifted off to sleep in his arms.
* * *
When I woke up, my eyes met warm brown ones and immediately my lips pulled up into a smile as he kissed my forehead.
"Good morning sweetheart." He said in his sleepy voice I found so attractive.
"Good morning." I said happily when he chuckled.
"You seem happy. Should I be concerned?" He asked when I shrugged.
"Maybe." I said when he playfully frowned.
"Oh? Should I be worried about my status in your life?" He asked with a grin when I shook my head and pecked his lips, but he deepened the kiss, pulling me closer.
When he pulled away, he grabbed my left hand, his eyes never leaving mine when he kissed the large diamond ring on my fourth finger.
"What do you want to do today?" He asked when I shrugged as both of us got out of bed and headed to the bathroom, me in his t-shirt only with shorts and him in his sweatpants while I drooled over him.
"Stop drooling over my beautiful body." He said when I rolled my eyes and slapped his chest playfully.
"Can you not be so cocky?" I asked playfully when he grinned, pulling me closer by my waist and kissing me deeply.
"Only if you stop appreciating me every now and then." He whispered against my lips, pecking me again before pulling away.
"Never." I said and saw his grin as we started to brush our teeth.
Later in the day, we were sitting in the back garden of our house on a blanket, a plate of sandwiches and cupcakes lay empty on a side.
I saw Anton walking up to us from the corner of my eye and I instantly got up with a big smile and ran to him, jumping into his arms and hugging him tight.
"When did you come back?" I asked him excitedly when he chuckled, ruffling my hair.
"Just an hour ago, for my darling sister's birthday." He said smiling but as someone came to stand behind me, Anton's smile disappeared and a cold look took over his face as he regarded the man and shook hands with him.
Why doesn't he like him?
"Thea darling, why don't you go inside? I need to talk business for a while." He said when I pouted.
"Come on Anton, just chill for a day." I said when he shook his head with a small smile.
"I'll chill on your birthday, okay?" He said and I beamed, kissing both men's cheek along and waving at them before skipping inside. A few minutes later I saw Anton coming inside the house angry.
"Anton? Is everything okay?" I asked him when his eyes fell on the ring on my left hand, his face cold and devoid of any emotion before he looked at me.
"Where's Alex?" He asked.
"Office." I said and he nodded, completely ignoring my previous question when he looked at me concerned.
"Heather." He warned and I knew what he was going to say so I immediately pursed my lips together.
"I just want you to be careful and safe. That's all I ask." He said softly.
"I am safe Anton, and I'm happy, so much." I said when he shook his head and went upstairs, ignoring me completely.
A few moments later, the front door opened and a whistling Ivan walked in, smiling when he saw me.
"Kotenok." He kissed my head and I beamed at him.
"Ivanom." I said cheekily when he rolled his eyes playfully and plopped on the seat next to me on the couch.
"Where's everybody?" He asked after a while.
"Alex and Anton are in the office, Zephyr and Zarina went out, dad, uncle Mikhail and uncle Karl are gone to the warehouse, I guess, and Nik and Kim took Anya somewhere. Aunt Kris is in her room, probably." I said and saw him nod.
"And where is-"
"Outside." I said with a smile when he shook his head, noticing the ring on my hand.
"Nice ring." He said with a sly grin when I rolled my eyes.
"Don't act as if you weren't the one who helped in choosing it." I narrowed my eyes at him when he grinned.
"Oh, so he told you?' He asked me and I nodded, about to speak when someone kissed the back of my head.
"Brother. I see you're annoying my girl." He said from behind me when I smiled widely.
"Me? Why would I bother her? She's the brat who's always bothering us." Ivan said when I fake gasped.
"Take that back." I whispered threateningly when Ivan smirked.
"Never." He whispered back and before I could lunge at him, he had already sprinted upstairs, laughing while I grumbled.
"Oh come on, I'll help you catch him later." He said sitting next to me and draping an arm around my shoulders.
"Really?" I asked and he nodded, kissing my cheek while I beamed at him.
"What were you an Anton talking about outside?" I asked him after a while when he sighed.
"Nothing important sweetheart, just a few concerning things about the Angelos." He said when I frowned.
"The Angelos? Who are they?" I asked turning to face him.
"Italians." He said and immediately my mood dropped.
"Oh." I said and turned my face away when he grabbed my chin and made me face him.
"Don't worry darling, everything will be alright, I promise." He said.
"Really?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yes. I won't ever let anyone hurt you." He said, looking at me lovingly.
"I love you Heather Elias." He said pecking my lips when I smiled wide.
"And I love you, Igor Malev."